Construction of motive-fluid generators.



P. S. MGKIBBEN. GONSTBUGTION 0F MOTIVE FLUID GENERATORS. APPLICATION FILLED MAR.`3, 1909.

962,458. Patented June 28,1910.

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CONSTRUCTION 0F MOTIVB FLUID GENBRATORS. APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1909.

962,458., Patented June 28, 1910.

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CONSTRUCTION 0F MOTIVE FLUID. GENERATORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.3, 1909.

962,45, Patented June 28, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 3 fi/Vento?? P. S. MCKIBBEN.

GONSTRUmfIoNA of MoTlvB FLUID GENBRATORS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1909. 62945 Patented June 28, 1910.

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ANDREW s. GRAHAM co., Puo1o-L1TnoeaAPnEns. wASmNGToN. n C

@ITF STATES FAIEI FFIC.

FRANK S. MCKIBBEN, 0F MEMPHIS, NEBRASKA.

CONSTRUCTION 0F MOTIVE-FLUID GENERATORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. MCKIBBEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Saunders and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Gonstruction of Motive-Fluid Generators, of which the following is a full description.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus in which the gaseous products obtained by burning liquid fuel in compressed air are used as a motive fluid for operating engines or motors. Heretofore only the most volatile liquid fuels have been used in this w'ay.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in which any kind of liquid fuel can be used, especially crude petroleum, and in which the fuel is used non-eXplosively or constantly, but in variable quantity according to the need of the moment, to produce a fluid which may be used either for power or heating purposes, in the same manner in which steam is used for these purposes.

A further object is to make the apparatus automatic in its operation, so as to require but little attention. It will therefore be easily adapted, either to places where the work is practicaly uniform, or to locomotive work, or to such things as automatic pumping for various irregular needs.

My invention is based partially on the well known fact that crude oil will burn without producing smoke or soot if slowly fed to the fire and if, at the same time, it be minutely subdivided or atomized by a strong current of air with which the atomized oil becomes mixed.

In this apparatus, I use the liquid fuel burner shown and described in my application for Letters Patent, Serial Number 4507 85, filed Aug. 28, 1908.

Some of the drawings are reproduced herein, showing the proper connections, and with the same numerals of reference.

`The burner is so constructed that any quantity of oil can be used that may be desired or required, from the minutest amount, barely sufficient to make a pilot flame, to the full capacity of the apparatus, and whether the quantity be large or small, it is equally well atomized and mixed with the proper proportion of air. It is designed that, in starting the apparatus, the fuel will be ignited by an electric spark or otherwise Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented June 28, 1910.

Application led March 3, 1909.

Serial No. 481,179.

as may be desired, but that, afterward, during any ordinary short stops of the motor, a small pilot flame will be kept burning by which additional fuel will be ignited when the motor is to be started again. I use an air compressor operated by an independent motor which act together automatically to maintain a pressure in the air chamber or pipe that is suitably higher than in the combustion chamber and conduit. This difference of pressure produces a constant flow of compressed air through the burner with sufficient force to atomize the fuel under all working conditions.

My invention is fully set forth in the fol lowing specifications of which the annexed drawings are part:

Figure l is an end elevation showing some of the parts in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the com bustion chamber and burner. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show modifications or alternative forms of some of the parts.

Referring now, by number, to the individual parts, 20 represents an oil reservoir or chamber. This oil chamber may be filled in any convenient manner, as through the capped opening, 21, or it may be filled by a pump working more or less constantly; but in the latter case, a float valve or similar device will -be required to stop the entrance of oil when the reservoir is nearly full. The pipe, l2, conveys the oil to the casing, l1, of the burner. The valve, 22, closes the pipe, 12, while the oil chamber is being filled, to prevent escape of gases through the burner from the combustion chamber', and it is also used to close partially the pipe, 12, so as to retard or diminish the flow of oil to the burner. In this way the flow of oil is adjusted to the flow of air when the burner tube, 3, is in any given position, after which, the proper amount of both air and fuel will be governed by means of the burner tube.

The burner is fixed in one end of the combustion chamber, 23, which is a long tube or cylinder of suflicientsize that the flame which begins at the burner can not come in contact with its walls to any considerable extent. At the opposite end of the combustion chamber, a conduit, 24, is attached which conveys the hot gases to a motor or other place for performing their work. A small pipe, 25, leads away from the conduit to a rotary motor, 26, which operates a rotary air compressor, 27. This motor and compressor are of the well known type, consisting of two gear wheels or cylinders meshing together and rotating in a closely fitting casing, one cylinder shaft, 28, of the motor being continuous with one cylinder shaft of the compressor. The motive fluid passes up from the conduit through the motor and out through the-exhaust pipe, 29, thereby giving motion to the compressor cylinders which draw in the air through the inlet, 30, and force it into the pipe, 31. The working surface of the motor is larger (the cylinders are longer or of greater diameter) than the working surface of the compressor. Hence the air pressure is made greater in the pipe, 31, than the pressure of gases within the combustion chamber, 23, by a fixed ratio which, Within working limits, amounts practically to a fixed difference. This is necessary in order that the air current, moving from the pipe, 31, through the burner, may be strong enough to atomize the oil. The air pressure must exceed the pressure in the combustion chamber by as much as is sufficient for this( purpose.

The actual size of the motor, 26, and the compressor, Q7, is not so material because, if they be small, they will rotate faster, and vice versa. Any form of motor and compressor will do the work provided the motor be so constructed that it can not stop on adead center. I use the rotary motor and compressor by way of illustrating the idea of the invention because easily shown but I think some other form more economical and.

satisfactory. There is a cutoff valve, 32, in the pipe, 25, which is to be left open when the apparatus is in use, but when the flame is extinguished, it should be closed to prevent a retrogade movement of the air and consequent loss of pressure which will be needed to start the apparatus again. Of course this valve may be placed in the air pipe, .31, instead of the pipe, 25. The pipe, 31, serves as a compressed air chamber and, for most purposes, is better than a larger reservoir, but if desired, a larger air chamber may be connected to this pipe. The compressed air passes from the pipe, 3l, into the casing or. outer burner tube, 1. A small pipe, 33, connects the air pipe, 31, with the oil chamber, 20, through which the same pressure is maintained in the fuel chamber as in the air pipe.

yThere is a cutoff valve, 34, in the pipe, 33,

which is to be kept open when the apparatus is'in use, but closed when the apparatus 1s to `remain idle for a considerable time, as,

otherwise, there will be a mixing of air and volatile fuel, resulting in an explosion when the apparatus is started again. This valve is also closed when the oil chamber is opened for filling, to prevent escapes of air from the pipe, 31.

The combustion chamber, 23, is entirely surrounded, except at the burner end, by a boiler, 35. The object of the boiler is to prevent excessive radiation of heat and to reduce the temperature of the gases of combustion to a convenient and safe degree. It is very little larger than the combustion chamber, so as to aord but little space for water. Hence but a very short time will be required for heating the water. The apparatus may be operated before the water is hot, but not to its full capacity. Fixed in the end of the combustion chamber, there are numerous horizontal loops of pipe, 36, which open into the boiler and 'through which the water circulates, leaving the boiler by the lower pipe and returning by the upper one of each loop. These pipes are long enough to afford considerable heating surface, but they are far enough from the burner to be out of the way of the flame. They are so numerous and placed so close together that the hot gases must pass very near them for a considerable distance in together that the hot gases must pass very be made in various other forms but working on the same principles. A suitable alternative form is shown in F ig. 4, where a pipe, composed of several reverse coils, is placed transversely in the combustion chamber. 1n this case the water will enter at the bottom and pass out, heated, at the top. Of course a number of pipes must be used and placed so the gases will pass them all'successively.

Between the end of the combustion chamber and the end of the boiler, there is a small space in which a float, 37, is placed.y The float is connected to the water inlet valve, 38, so as to close the inlet pipe, 39, when the water reaches the proper level and open it when the water level is lowered. The exact form of the valve, 38, is not material but would be better if of the balanced kind. In order that the float valve may properly full its object of maintaining a constantV water level, the water must be forced through the inlet pipe, 39, by a pump that is sufficiently yielding to stop when the pipe is closed by the valve. A pump of this kind may be made in several ways that are too well understood to need description.

Above the float, there is a boiler dome, 40, from which there is an open passage, 4l, into the conduit, 24. Through this passage, steam passes freely to mingle with the gases of combustion. The outlet from the boiler and the outlet from the combustion chamber thus unite to form a common conduit. The form of this union may be varied as shown in Fig. 5. Owing to this open connection the pressure is the same in the boiler and combustion chamber. With proper construction of the boiler and the water pipes, 33, in the combustion chamber, the temperature of the gases of combustion, when they reach .the conduit, is not greatly above the temperature of the steam which mingles with them, still further reducing their temperature and augmenting their volume.

A valve, 42, is placed transversely in the conduit, 24, one object of which is to retain the gases of combustion and maintain a certain minimum or normal pressure in the combustion chamber and conduit, above which normal, the pressure must be raised, before the valve will open the conduit and allow the gases to pass to a motor or engine. This is necessary, more especially where an engine is to be operated by gases, sometimes under high pressure and sometimes under low pressure, (as in a locomotive) in order that the compressor and its motor may act together automatically to keep the air pressure at the proper normal. A further object of the valve is to control the burner by connections therewith and cause it to use a large or small amount of fuel and thus furnish any amount of power desired while maintaining a proper normal pressure in the different parts of the apparatus. The valve is cylindrical and of the balanced kind and is made to slide vertically in a casing, 43, which is connected in the conduit as near as may be to the other parts already described. To balance the valve, there is an annular space, 44, in the casing extending around the valve-way and as wide as the conduit, thus causing the pressure to be equal on all sides. One or more holes, 45, extend vertically through the valve so that the pressure will be the same on the two ends. A valve rod or stem, 46, extends upward through the casing and is connected by a rod, 47, to an arm, 48, of a rock-shaft, 49, journaled in a position parallel to the burner. A spiral spring, 50, is connected to the arm, 48, its tendency being to depress the valve. The spring is attached to the arm by means of a slide, 51, which is held in position by a set screw. By moving the slide toward or from the shaft, the spring is made to act less or more powerfully on the arm. The valve stem, 46, extends downward from the valve and is fitted to slide as a piston in the lower part of the casing, 43. The casing, at its lower part, communicates freely with the conduit on the steam side of the valve through the pipe or passage, 52. The gases thus constantly press against the lower end of the valve stem tending to raise it in oppo-l sition to the spring, 50.

The valve is in what I call its normal position when it is just low enough to close the conduit, (as in Fig. 1). And when the pressure of gases is ljust sullicient to place the valve in this position it is what I call standard or normal pressure. The normal pressure is therefore fixed by the tension of the spring, 50, which may be adjusted to suit the needs, but beyond the normal, there is hardly a limit to the attainable pressure.

The normal pressure is maintained by apilot flame at the burner at all times when no gases are passing to radiators or engine through the outer conduit, 53. When more gases are wanted for use, their pressure is increased by raising the lever, 10, of the burner, thus opening the burner and causing an additional consumption of fuel. The increased pressure raises the valve so as to open the conduit for the passage of the gases. The working pressure is therefore a little above the normal. The amount of increase, above the normal pressure, that is required to open the conduit to its full extent depends much upon the length of the spring, a short spring requiring more increase than a long one. Another arm, 54, on the rock shaft, 49, is connected by a rod, 55, to a notched segment, 56, which is fulcrumed loosely on the fuel tube of the burner. The notched segment engages a latch on the lever, 10. By these connections the conduit valve, 42, controls the rotation of the fuel tube of the burner. Vhen there is to be no consumption of fuel at all, the latch-lever, 10, is placed in its lowest position, as represented by the dotted lines, 57, in Fig. 1, where it rests by its own weight, closing the burner outlet, as elsewhere explained. When the air and oil are to be allowed to flow barely enough to make a pilot flame, the latch-lever is made to rest on a bracket, 58, which is hinged, as at 59 in Fig. 2, so it may be turned back out of the way of the latchlever when not in use. Then the latch-lever rests thus on the bracket, 58, the pilot flame maintains the normal pressure, the conduit valve is kept in its normal position, as ex plained, and the notched segment is also in its normal position, its lower part being engaged with the latch-lever, as in Fig. 1. The heat from the pilot flame radiates away, so that it causes but little increase of pressure, but the non-liquefiable gases of combustion (chiefly nitrogen and carbonic acid) gradually accumulate and occasionally lift the valve, 42, so as to allow their passage into the outer conduit, 53. These gases not being needed, the engine being at restescape to the open air through an air cock, 60, which should always be left open when only a pilot flame is to remain burning for a considerable time. This slight lifting of the conduit valve for the escape of gases when the pilot flame is burning causes a corresponding descent of the notched segment. rThe lowest notch, 61, is made longer than the others, as in Fig. 1, so as to allow this slight descent Without moving the latch-lever which must remain stationary on the bracket, 5S, so as not to disturb the pilot flame.

When it is desired to produce a quantity of gases either for power or heating purposes, the latch-lever must be disengaged from the segment and lifted to a suitable position and held for a moment. The increased consumption of fuel which follows, causes the conduit valve, 42, to rise, and the notched segment to descend. Then, when the proper amount of gases is found to be passing, the latch-lever is allowed to engage the segment in a new place which will be more or less near its highest part. The valve, 42, will now control the combustion in an automatic way, causing a greater flow of. air and oil whenever the pressure decreases, and. vice versa. Of course the burner may be controlled by hand instead of automatically. This is more desirable for locomotive work. But, in either case, the conduit valve will act as described, to maintain a minimum pressure. By combining this valve with the compressor and its motor and with the burner of variable capacity, a constant standard or normal pressure is maintained and the apparatus is always in readiness for the instant development of any amount of power that may be desired although the storage capacity for a motive fluid is practically nothing.

The automatic conduit valve, 42, operates in two distinct ways owing entirely to the connections for withdrawing the motive fluid from the conduit. One of these ways has been described. By this plan the gases pass through the casing, 43, into the outer conduit, 53, under a pressure that is sufficient to lift the valve for their passage. No other-throttle valve is needed and a motor or radiators are started and stopped by the direct handling of the latch-lever, 10. The valve is thus a combination safety valve and throttle valve, and is a member of the burner regulating device. By the second method of using the valve, its connections are the same but the gases do not pass through the casing, 43, except only as the valve acts merely as a safety valve, but they leave the conduit by a pipe or pipes connected on the inner or steam side of the casing, as indicated by the dotted lines, A, iny Fig. 1. Each pipe leading to a heating system or engine requires a separate throttle, as is common with steam, as indicated at B, in Fig. 1. The latch-lever is not handled in the ordinary operation of the apparatus, the starts and stops being made by the throttle. The pressure is maintained at a normal, as already explained, but as the valve, 42, does not, in this case, close the outlet from the conduit, the normal will be reached only when the pilot flame is burning or when the apparatus is being operated at less than the capacity of the burner. The normal, however, should be flXed, by adjustment of the spring, up to or near the capacity. When an engine is to be started a throttle (B) is opened. This causes a drop of pressure in the conduit below the normal. The automatic valve, 42, descends as the pressure falls. The descent of the valve causes the segment, 56, and the latch-lever,

10, to rise. This increases the production of.

permit its descent a like distance below its normal position without causing a communication between the inner conduit and the balancing chamber, 62, above the valve. If intended for use only above the normal pressure, the valve, 42, and its casing may be made much shorter than shown in the drawings, and some of the other parts will be as well if in different proportion. On the other hand, if the apparatus be originally intended and made for working only with a pressure below the normal, then the body of the valve, whose proper function is to close the conduit, becomes unnecessary because a simple cylinder, like the valve stem, will do as well. In such case the valve and other parts may be modified as shown in-Fig. 6, where the outlet, 63, takes the place of the outer conduit, 53, of Fig. 1, and affords escape for the non-liquefiable gases when only a pilot flame is burning, and where the segment, 56, contains only one notch corresponding to the large notch, 61, in Fig. 1 and acting in the same way. As in Fig. 6, also, the valve and spring are in an inverted position and act more directly on the segment. This second way of using the conduit valve may be applied to many purposes but is especially suitable for automatic pumping, either for domestic use or for village or city water supply. It is applied as follows: The pump is operated by any kind of motor that can not stop on a dead center. The normal pressure in the conduit maintains a corresponding normal water pressure. The withdrawal of water from a tap or hydrant causes a fall of the water pressure which, by starting the pump to equalize the pressure, causes a fall of pressure in the conduit, and this, in turn, acting through the conduit valve, 42, increases the consumption of fuel to restore the pressure to or towardv the normal.

The apparatus may be used for heating purposes in much the same way in which steam is used, the hot gases being conducted to radiators for the purpose. Some special devices and arrangements are necessary, however, because of the non-liquefiable gases whichk must be used, and disposed ofin a different way. Therefore I omit further description, as being improper in this place.

I claim as new the following:

l. In an apparatus for generating a motive fluid containing the gases of continuous combustion, the combination of a combustion chamber, a burner having an outlet therein, a conduit conveying said gases of combustion to a principal engine, the operation of which is the object of said apparatus and a valve adapted to close said conduit and automatically open it when the pressure of said gases reaches a predetermined degree.

2. In a generator of a motive fluid, the combination of a boiler, a conduit conveying said iiuid therefrom to a principal engine, the operation of which is the object of said generator, a combustion chamber within said boiler, communicating with the steam space thereof through an unvalved opening, a liquid fuel burner, having an outlet in said chamber, and a valve adapted to close said conduit and to be moved to open it by the direct pressure of said fluid thereon, whereby a motive fluid is generated in said combustion chamber and boiler and is retained therein till its pressure reaches a predetermined degree suicient to move said valve to open a passage for it.

3. In a generator of a motive fluid, the combination of a boiler, a conduit conveying said fluid to a principal engine, a valve casing connected transversely thereto, a valve sliding in said casing, adapted to close said conduit and to be moved by the direct pressure o-f said fluid, a spring opposing said pressure on said valve, a combustion chamber within said boiler, communicating with the steam space thereof through an unvalved opening, a liquid fuel burner having an outlet into said chamber and having a part that is rotatable for the purpose of changing the area of said outlet, a latchlever fiXed on said part for rotating it and a notched segment loosely fulcrumed on said burner and adapted to be moved by said valve and to engage said latch-lever so that a rise of pressure in said boiler causes a lessening of the area of said burner outlet and vice versa.

4. In a generator of a motive fluid, the combination of a boiler, a conduit conveying said fluid from said boiler to a principal engine the operation of which is the object for which said generator is intended, a valve casing connected thereto, a valve sliding in said casing and adapted to be moved by the direct pressure of said Huid, a spring opposing said pressure on said valve, a combustion chamber within said boiler communicating with the steam space thereof, a liquid fuel burner having an outlet in said chamber and having a part that is rotatable for the purpose of changing the area of said outlet, a latch-lever fiXed on said rotatable part for rotating it, a notched segment loosely fulcrumed on said burner, adapted to be moved by said valve and having a notch adapted to engage loosely said latch-lever and a bracket against which said lever may rest to prevent complete closing of said burner outlet, whereby a fall of pressure in said boiler causes an increase of the area of said burner outlet and a rise of pressure causes a lessening of said area until said lever rests against said bracket, after which any further rise of pressure causes a slight occasional movement of said valve to open a passage for the slight excess of motive fluid without moving said latch-lever.

5. In a generator of a motive fluid, the combination of a boiler, a conduit conveying said fluid to a principal engine, a valve casing connected thereto, a valve sliding in said casing, adapted to close said conduit and to be moved by the direct pressure of said uid, a spring opposing said pressure on said valve, a combustion chamber within said boiler communicating with the steam space thereof, a liquid fuel burner having an outlet in said chamber and having a part that is rotatable for the purpose of changing the area of said outlet, an air compressor, a pipe conveying air therefrom to said burner, a motor driven directly by said fluid and actuating said compressor but nothing else, a fuel chamber communicating with said air pipe and discharging fuel into said burner, a notched segment loosely fulcrumed on said burner, adapted to be moved by said valve and having a notch adapted to engage loosely said latch-lever and a bracket against which said lever may rest to prevent complete closing of said burner outlet, whereby there is automatically maintained in said generator a predetermined normal pressure when said principal engine is not in operation, a suitable supra-normal working pressure when said principal engine is in operation and a suitable subnormal working pressure when said fluid passes to said principal engine or other apparatus not a part of said generator, through another conduit not controlled by said valve.

FRANK S. MCKIBBEN.

Witnesses I-I. WOODRUFF, H. C. EHLERS. 

